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When I was a kid, I don't remember that my parents ever thought me that I shouldn't eat slugs. Somehow I figured it out on my own.

hn_throwaway_99 3y ago
Responses like this are so shitty, and you should feel bad for making it. A lot of people do risky or silly things when they're teenagers - very few of them pay the price with their lives. I don't eat slugs either, but "dying a horribly painful death due to a worm in my brain" wouldn't be high up on the things I would have been concerned about (until I read about that story, that is). But congrats on showing the world what a superiorly smart guy you are.
- Ancapistani 3y ago
  When I was six or so, I ate a leaf of poison ivy on a dare. Made $5! I should add that I was already quite sure that I wasn’t allergic to poison ivy, at least via skin contact. I didn’t notice any ill effects.
  - jimmydddd 3y ago
    When I was six or so, my neighbors would burn a pile of leaves during autumn leaf raking season (this was apparently common back in the '70's). That year they included poinson ivy in the pile and the resulting smoke left the whole family with external (skin) and internal (lungs) poison ivy rashes.
- drt5b7j 3y ago
  > A lot of people do risky or silly things when they're teenagers - very few of them pay the price with their lives. This is precisely the nature of risk. We don't live in a deterministic world where everyone who eats slugs dies. If we did, that kid wouldn't have eaten a slug. No, we live in a world with uncertainty. If you eat a slug, almost for sure nothing bad will happen.
- blub 3y ago
  The person in question was an adult around 19 years old. At this age one must surely know that eating bad foods would cause stomach problems, vomiting, etc. Guy must have been intoxicated or had other problems to do such an abnormal thing. There’s a lesson here, but it’s fair to point out that lesson isn’t “don’t eat slugs” as most people already understand this.
  - Doxin 3y ago
    At 19 most people are still firmly under the influence of peer pressure. Just because you're legally adult doesn't mean you're quite a fully formed person yet. > At this age one must surely know that eating bad foods would cause stomach problems, vomiting, etc. Probably worth it for the cool points in his risk assessment. Had death been part of the calculation he'd probably not have done it.
barrysteve 3y ago
There were many things as a kid I shouldn't have done and did. Punishment by parasite and horrible death for a strange mistake, is pretty harsh.
- drt5b7j 3y ago
  Can you give me an example of something you shouldn't have done and did? I'm curious to see if I'm gonna go "oh you're right, I did the same, so silly". My guess is no.
  - barrysteve 3y ago
    I think it's right that the punishment fits the crime, and for a dumb teenager that doesn't understand microbiology and parasites, I would cut him some slack. Obviously I can't personally ressurect dead kids, but approving of death for ignorant behavioural errors, is a bit beyond the pale.
    - drt5b7j 3y ago
      Didn't answer my question. Also, I didn't approve of anything. I wish it hadn't happened.
    - blub 3y ago
      He was ~19 years old. If by that time one doesn’t know about microbes, or understands why eating random creatures raw is a bad idea, then they have significant issues. Nobody’s approving anyone’s death either, your insinuations are unjustified.
tmpX7dMeXU 3y ago
Deep down you believe that this is due to you being better in so e way. The reality is that it’s dumb luck. You were a dumb kid like everyone else was. For all we know you spent all your time inside and were afraid of slugs. A kid died and snide comments about ‘personal responsibility’ add nothing.
- drt5b7j 3y ago
  > For all we know you spent all your time inside What's wrong with spending all your time inside? I don't know any kid who spent all his time outside and turned out well. > The reality is that it’s dumb luck. If there's any luck here, was that I had parents who told me things like "don't do things just to impress people". Me not eating a slug was not luck. I find it so out of touch that you can't concieve that not all kids are the same. Not all kids do things on "dares".
- blub 3y ago
  Not eating slugs is not “dumb luck” and not all kids are equally “dumb”. Yes, kids are particularly vulnerable to groupthink and peer pressure and can’t evaluate risks properly, but that doesn’t make them dumb. I grew up in a village, spent my childhood in gardens, on fields or playing in the dirt and *nobody* I ever knew would eat a slug or any other kind of creature for that matter. The thought never even crossed anyone’s mind, why the hell would you even do that?
  - drt5b7j 3y ago
    Thank you for spelling my thoughts out so eloquently. Often times I start typing something out of hn and immediately get tired of explaining obvious stuff and end up doing a half assed job..

hn_throwaway_99 3y ago

Responses like this are so shitty, and you should feel bad for making it. A lot of people do risky or silly things when they're teenagers - very few of them pay the price with their lives. I don't eat slugs either, but "dying a horribly painful death due to a worm in my brain" wouldn't be high up on the things I would have been concerned about (until I read about that story, that is). But congrats on showing the world what a superiorly smart guy you are.

Ancapistani 3y ago
When I was six or so, I ate a leaf of poison ivy on a dare. Made $5! I should add that I was already quite sure that I wasn’t allergic to poison ivy, at least via skin contact. I didn’t notice any ill effects.
- jimmydddd 3y ago
  When I was six or so, my neighbors would burn a pile of leaves during autumn leaf raking season (this was apparently common back in the '70's). That year they included poinson ivy in the pile and the resulting smoke left the whole family with external (skin) and internal (lungs) poison ivy rashes.
drt5b7j 3y ago
> A lot of people do risky or silly things when they're teenagers - very few of them pay the price with their lives. This is precisely the nature of risk. We don't live in a deterministic world where everyone who eats slugs dies. If we did, that kid wouldn't have eaten a slug. No, we live in a world with uncertainty. If you eat a slug, almost for sure nothing bad will happen.
blub 3y ago
The person in question was an adult around 19 years old. At this age one must surely know that eating bad foods would cause stomach problems, vomiting, etc. Guy must have been intoxicated or had other problems to do such an abnormal thing. There’s a lesson here, but it’s fair to point out that lesson isn’t “don’t eat slugs” as most people already understand this.
- Doxin 3y ago
  At 19 most people are still firmly under the influence of peer pressure. Just because you're legally adult doesn't mean you're quite a fully formed person yet. > At this age one must surely know that eating bad foods would cause stomach problems, vomiting, etc. Probably worth it for the cool points in his risk assessment. Had death been part of the calculation he'd probably not have done it.

barrysteve 3y ago

There were many things as a kid I shouldn't have done and did. Punishment by parasite and horrible death for a strange mistake, is pretty harsh.

drt5b7j 3y ago
Can you give me an example of something you shouldn't have done and did? I'm curious to see if I'm gonna go "oh you're right, I did the same, so silly". My guess is no.
- barrysteve 3y ago
  I think it's right that the punishment fits the crime, and for a dumb teenager that doesn't understand microbiology and parasites, I would cut him some slack. Obviously I can't personally ressurect dead kids, but approving of death for ignorant behavioural errors, is a bit beyond the pale.
  - drt5b7j 3y ago
    Didn't answer my question. Also, I didn't approve of anything. I wish it hadn't happened.
  - blub 3y ago
    He was ~19 years old. If by that time one doesn’t know about microbes, or understands why eating random creatures raw is a bad idea, then they have significant issues. Nobody’s approving anyone’s death either, your insinuations are unjustified.

tmpX7dMeXU 3y ago

Deep down you believe that this is due to you being better in so e way. The reality is that it’s dumb luck. You were a dumb kid like everyone else was. For all we know you spent all your time inside and were afraid of slugs. A kid died and snide comments about ‘personal responsibility’ add nothing.

drt5b7j 3y ago
> For all we know you spent all your time inside What's wrong with spending all your time inside? I don't know any kid who spent all his time outside and turned out well. > The reality is that it’s dumb luck. If there's any luck here, was that I had parents who told me things like "don't do things just to impress people". Me not eating a slug was not luck. I find it so out of touch that you can't concieve that not all kids are the same. Not all kids do things on "dares".
blub 3y ago
Not eating slugs is not “dumb luck” and not all kids are equally “dumb”. Yes, kids are particularly vulnerable to groupthink and peer pressure and can’t evaluate risks properly, but that doesn’t make them dumb. I grew up in a village, spent my childhood in gardens, on fields or playing in the dirt and *nobody* I ever knew would eat a slug or any other kind of creature for that matter. The thought never even crossed anyone’s mind, why the hell would you even do that?
- drt5b7j 3y ago
  Thank you for spelling my thoughts out so eloquently. Often times I start typing something out of hn and immediately get tired of explaining obvious stuff and end up doing a half assed job..